


The Moments Between Us

by Meribell64



Series: Gifts and Birthdays [4]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: #ChloresSecretSanta, Claudeleth Secret Santa, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, WinterDelights2020, i don't know how to tag i'm sorry, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:01:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28305735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meribell64/pseuds/Meribell64
Summary: The moments he shared with her from the time he met her and how over time, he allow himself to let down his walls little by little until he found himself completely bare.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Series: Gifts and Birthdays [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2012686
Comments: 4
Kudos: 59





	The Moments Between Us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Escopeta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Escopeta/gifts).



> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!! 
> 
> This work is especially for one of our favorite authors in this community. I was your Secret Santa for this year [Escopeta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Escopeta/pseuds/Escopeta)!! I hope you enjoy this work and I hope everyone does as well <3

_I need that power._

_She’s strong._

_I need her by my side_.

Those were the first thoughts he had when he first saw her kill the bandits chasing after them. He listened to the bickering of the two other House Leaders, before promptly interrupting them. He gave a smile and a wink for good measure, in hopes to charm his way to her. But he got no reaction. She simply blinked and stared back. He willed himself to not flinch under her gaze. It was almost as if she could see right through him. That couldn’t be it right?

Impossible. 

He later found out her name was Byleth. An interesting name. _Byleth Eisner, the Ashen Demon_. He wondered what belied under that stoic exterior of hers.

After that incident, he tried all he could to sway her to his side. As House Leader, he was privy to the information that she would replace the professor that shamelessly ran away when they were being chased. Claude would be lying if he said he wasn’t surprised. 

He had assumed that she would be joining the Knights of Seiros alongside her father, or simply be hired for their mercenary skills and placed under the Guild, but never in a million years would he have thought that she would be appointed as a professor for the monastery. 

Despite this, he felt determined to sway her to his side now. Although she would replace the cowardly professor, she had yet to pick a class to teach, and so this was his one and only opportunity to get her to his side. 

“So, heard you landed yourself a teaching gig, huh Teach?” he asked as he casually leaned against the pillar behind him, conveniently right next to the classroom that would hold the Golden Deer class. 

He watched her stop as soon as he grabbed her attention. She wasted no time in walking towards him, and nodded her head. Damn, either she had the best poker face he has ever seen, or she really did live up to her title. “Teach?” she asked inquisitively at the nickname.

“Well, seems less boring than calling you professor,” Claude answered smoothly with a slight shrug of his shoulders before crossing his arms behind his head. 

“I see.” 

“Well then, I can’t wait to see you in class then,” he continued, radiating all the confidence that she would pick him, but in all actuality, he had no idea if she actually would. 

He sees the slight tilt of her head, an indication of her curiosity. “How do you know I’ll choose your class to teach?” 

“Come on, we worked really well together back in Remire didn’t we?” He pointed, recalling the night as clear as the blue sky. Then again, it was just last night. “You had my back and I made sure to cover yours.”

“I remember.” She turned her head slightly to the side, and he followed her gaze towards the Golden Deer classroom. 

The two of them watched the students filter in and out of the classroom, blissfully unaware of their presence and undoubtedly gossiping about the latest piece of news that had spread throughout the monastery. “Can’t say you aren’t at least a little bit interested in the Golden Deers? We may not be quite like the other two houses, but we’re not as… difficult,” he advertised.

She says nothing, continuing to watch the students from afar. “I see…” 

A silence fell over them, and he would pay a gold bullion to know what was going through her head. There’s this look in her eyes, but he couldn’t quite place his finger on what it was. Suddenly, she turned back towards him, and he couldn’t help but tense slightly at her gaze on him. “Thank you, I’ll see you again.”

Claude mustered up a smile at her. “See you again in the classroom,” he bid. He watched her turn and walk away from him without another word.

Even if she doesn’t pick his house, he was determined to continue his efforts. 

To his surprise, he did see her again. As he sat at the front of the classroom, surrounded by several of his classmates, he heard the doors open and the familiar click of heels stepping against the wood floors. Crossing towards the front with all eyes on her, jacket fluttering behind her in her wake, there she was. She turned to face everyone, silence filling up the room.

Her cornflower eyes found his and they were locked in a wordless gaze. “Hello, everyone,” she spoke slowly, breaking the silence. “It is nice to meet you.”

Everyone remained quiet, confusion settling over them after the initial surprise and shock. 

However, she continued speaking, “I will be your professor for this year.”

* * *

If Claude had to be honest, he had low expectations. After all, can’t be disappointed when they’re not met right? However, Teach had proved him wrong. 

Once she settled into her role as a professor for their class, teaching seemed to come naturally for her. As time went by, he took every opportunity given to him to watch her picking up small tells that she gave (and wondering if she even knew she had these tells). 

What interested him quite honestly was when she began to start asking people to have tea with her. He didn’t know who (Lorenz, of course, it was him, he later found out) but she seemed to have picked up a penchant for it. Almost every week she would ask someone to have tea with her and as much as he would have loved to _coincidentally_ be in the area where she was having tea with someone, he couldn’t be too obvious. 

Every student in the Golden Deer has had a tea invitation with Teach. Everyone except him. Now, he wasn’t one to get jealous over something so trivial as tea. But, he was the House Leader! Shouldn’t he have been at least the first to be considered to have tea? 

However, the goddess (if she actually existed) must have heard his plight as one day after class he was invited to tea by her.

He played it off as casual as ever as he answered, “Why of course! I would love to have tea with my favorite professor.”

And as always, she didn’t react except with a nod. “I’ll see you at the courtyard,” she had said and left without another word. 

And now there he was, sitting at a table in the courtyard elbows resting onto the table with fingers laced to rest his chin on top of. He looked around and there were few students around, and by the time Teach had finally arrived, they had left. It was almost like a private affair between the two of them.

“Why, Teach, if I had known we would be so secluded, I would’ve dressed better,” he teased.

Teach raised an eyebrow as she prepared the tea for the two of them. The strong scent of pine hit his nose when she began to pour into the cups. The earthy bitter scent was familiar and unmistakable to him as a wave of nostalgia hit through him. 

But it was that same wave that had him on edge suddenly. “Wow, that’s a nice smell. I think I love this one.” He carefully takes the cup from her. As it reached closer to his nose, it was undeniably Almyran Pine Needle. 

“I’m glad you like it,” he hears her say as she takes a seat across him, picking up her own cup to take in earthy tones it radiated off. “I saw this tea in the market, and it reminded me of you.”

He nearly choked mid-sip at the words. That hit too close to home for him. “O-oh yeah?” he asked, trying to regain control over his voice. “Do tell, I’m dying to know.” 

He placed his cup down and watched her. He pays close attention as her nose hovers over her cup, as if bringing the smell of Pine Needles ingrained into her memory as she thinks thoughtfully. He waited patiently, but his patience began to ebb away the longer she was quiet. 

“Home.” 

Claude blinked at the answer. “I’m sorry?” he says, confused.

“Home,” she says again. She carefully sets her teacup down onto its saucer on the table. “I’ve seen you how you act around your classmates, Claude. You always make sure they’re comfortable and at ease.” She traces a finger along the rim of the cup. “You make them feel at home.” 

A strange feeling made its way into his chest and grip around his heart. “Well, we all have to work together. And that’s part of being a House Leader isn’t it?” 

“I suppose. But…” She stares into her cup, thinking thoughtfully about her next words. “It’s more than that.” 

Claude waits for her to continue.

“You make sure everyone feels secure and you may not seem like it, but you try to be considerate of everyone. At least when you can. You may be doing this for something you want, but you would always make sure they are included.

And this tea reminds me of being outside. As a mercenary, we never stayed in one place. We’re always traveling and it came to the point where I thought of outside with the trees, the grass, flowers, the dirt and the sky as being my home. I feel comfortable you could say. It makes me feel… safe.” She looks up, cornflower eyes meeting verdant. Their gazes locked together and he could feel as if she could see right through in-- no, right into him he should say. As if he was laying himself bare. 

Normally, he would feel unnerved by something like this. But he didn’t. “Interesting… comparison, Teach.” He takes a slow, tentative sip of his tea.

“Sorry, that must sound weird,” she apologized.

“No, no, it doesn’t. It… it’s nice. To know that’s how you think of me.” 

She gives a nod in response as she takes her own sip of her tea, silence settling between them. The air becomes thick with awkwardness. Before it could worsen, Claude cleared his throat to grab her attention. “Say Teach, about that battle tactic the other day,” he began.

He successfully grabbed her interest as she became more attentive to his words. It wasn’t until later he realized he had been smiling, smiling _genuinely_ as they discussed strategy and formation for the rest of their conversation. For just a moment, he wanted to believe in her words.

He wanted to believe they were true.

* * *

“Claude, go talk to her,” Hilda insisted.

“What can I do?” Claude asked as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed together.

“She’ll listen to you. Claude, I’m worried about her-- we’re _all_ worried about her.” The pink-haired girl gestured to the rest of their house who held uneasy and worried expressions across their faces. 

Raphael, who was usually brimming with energy and optimism, had none to give. 

Ignatz, although meek but encouraging, had none to offer. 

Lorenz, normally sparkling and enriched in noble charisma, was as dull as a rock. 

Marianne, although always pessimistic in nature, for once held hope for any sign of a light to shine again. 

Leonie, normally proud and standing tall, hung her head low. 

Lysithea, who worked tirelessly to the bone, finally seemed to slow down as a wave of exhaustion hit her. 

Hilda, who would make it her life’s mission to never work a minute in her life, gave it her all as she looked to Claude with a look of desperation he has never seen from her before. 

Each of his classmates looked at him, seeing him as their beacon of hope. 

And frankly, even he, the leader who diligently planned scheme after scheme, had no plan at all of how to bring their professor back to recovery. But for the sake of his friends, and for himself, he was willing to try. 

“Alright. I’ll talk to her.” 

There he was, at the training grounds as Teach struck her sword against the training dummy. She continued to land hit after hit, even long after it had split in the middle. 

Hit. 

Hit.

And hit.

Claude thought about intervening, however, he was afraid he would be doing more harm than good if he attempted to stop her. So he watched from afar, tucked within the shadows. He felt his heart wrench painfully in his chest as he watched her movements begin to slow. Each hit became weaker than the last before finally, the long broken training sword fell to the ground. 

So did she. She fell to her knees. Still. Quiet. She didn’t move from that spot, even as droplets of water began to fall from the sky. He stepped forward, walking quietly so as to not disturb her. The rain fell harder as he reached to her side, both drenched now. But neither cared and stayed where they were. He took his jacket off, carefully placing it around her shoulders and over her head as a last ditch effort to help her keep dry. “Teach…” 

She said nothing.

“Come on,” he quietly urged. He pulled her up onto her feet. It was easier than he thought as she wordlessly followed his movements, but it felt like he was picking up a lifeless doll up from the ground. He guided her towards the benches, under the roof where the rain couldn’t reach them. He led her to sit down before sitting down with her. 

They sat in silence, save for pellets of water that hit the ground outside and against the confines of the monastery. He didn’t have any words to offer like he normally would. Each time he opened his mouth, nothing would come out. 

When he tried one last time to say something, the words that were spoken weren't from him.

“He’s gone.”

He glanced up towards Teach as she stared down at her calloused hands. “He’s gone, Claude,” she said again.

“... He is,” he finally said. “I’m… I’m sorry, Teach.”

Claude lifted his hand up, reaching for hers. However, he stopped and began to pull back. He shouldn’t. But when he looked at her face, he felt as if someone struck an arrow through his heart. The normally cornflower eyes that were filled with life and curiosity for the world that almost matched his own were replaced with sorrow and pain, ones she never felt or understood before. He took her hand, grasping it gently into his. 

He has always viewed her as strong and powerful. Toppling and towering everyone with confidence and assurance that she carried. It was only now he saw how small and vulnerable she was. 

Her hand flinched by the sudden touch, but it didn’t pull away. Instead, they slowly grasped his hand. The grip tightened as Teach hung her head, shoulders shaking. The quiet sobs that shook from her body drowned out the sound of the rain. The painful hiccups and cries she let out would be forever engraved in his mind as she desperately tried to suppress them.

Before Claude realized it, he pulled her into an embrace, holding her head against his shoulder. “Let it out, Teach. It’s okay to cry,” he whispered against the crown of her head. 

And she did. She grabbed onto his shirt tightly, burying her face into the crook of his neck as she cried, letting out wails. 

He hoped he would never have to hear these sounds again.

* * *

“Claude.” He looked up to see Teach walking towards him at the end of the pier. 

“Teach,” he greeted cordially. He watched her sit down next to him as he made space for her. As she became eye level, he found himself drawn to the changes that happened to her. No longer was her hair teal, but seafoam green, with minty green eyes to match. Under the light of the moon, it almost made her sparkle like the stars that hung just above them in the sky. “What brings you out here in the middle of the night?” he asked.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she admitted, swaying her legs back and forth lightly.

“Guess that makes two of us.” He realized he felt more relaxed than he normally was. His shoulders weren’t tense as he rested his weight back on his hands while he leaned back to stargaze. He felt at peace. Comforted. He felt assured he would be alright, because Teach was right here beside him.

His eyes wandered from the stars and to the person who sat beside him. Her eyes were glued to the sky such as his was just moments ago. 

She looked beautiful, his mind thought suddenly. 

Just as he caught the thought, Teach spoke suddenly. “What do you think will happen at the Holy Tomb?” 

Right, the Archbishop had just informed her that Teach would be partaking in some kind of ceremony with their class bearing witness. Just what exactly is Rhea planning? All he could do was shrug his shoulders as he returned his gaze to the sky. “No idea… But, I have a feeling it’s nothing good.”

“I feel the same way,” she murmured quietly. 

From his peripheral, he could see her head lowering and would pay a bullion to know what was on her mind. Most likely a lot of things. 

“Claude, are you sure you want to come along?” she asked suddenly.

He snapped his head to her, eyes wide with surprise. “Of course I do. We all do, Teach. Why wouldn’t we?”

He sees her lips press together in a firm line, eyebrows furrowing together. “It might not be safe. And if something does happen… I don’t…” she takes in a quiet breath. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. To any of the Deers.”

She was worried about them. Of course she was. That was just like her. 

Claude straightens up as he turns towards her, placing his hand over hers. “Teach, look at me.”

She does, a startled look from the sudden touch. 

“Nothing is going to happen to any of us. Or to you. Not if I get a say about it anyways.”

“Claude…”

He continued, “Teach, I... We all care about you and I know you care about us. You’ve been taking care of us and I think it’s time that we take care of you too. So no matter what happens, we’re sticking with you until the end.”

No response comes from Teach. Soon, a small smile, just the slightest tip upwards from the corner of her lips, stretches across her face. She looked assured from his words as she gave a squeeze to his hand. “Thank you,” she says softly. 

Claude smiled at her. “Any time, Teach.” 

They would spend the rest of the night watching the stars quietly, hands still enclosed with one another in the space just between them.

* * *

“Claude.”

He turned around from where he stood on the terrace, seeing Teach walking towards him. He gives her a smile, one of relief, and just a spark of joy that bursts from his heart. “My friend,” he greets. “What brings you out here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” she responds back, a small smile gracing her lips. She takes a spot next to him as he returns his gaze to the sky. “Couldn’t sleep?” she asked.

“Something like that,” he answers easily. Too easily, he thinks, but it’s only with her that he could freely speak his mind like this. “It’s been a crazy few days after all.” 

“You’re telling me,” His Friend responded. When he looked over, he could sense something was wrong.

“Anything on your mind, Teach?” he asked, using his old nickname for her. 

He could see her debate internally whether or not to answer him. After a moment or two, she answers in a quiet voice, “So much has changed…” 

Claude winced. While for him it had been five years, for her, it must only feel like a few days— _literally_ . He had been excited at the prospect of her coming back to him-- to _everyone_ , and giving them the hope of turning the tides in this war once and for all that he failed to consider her position in this situation. “Yeah, it has,” he could only say, unable to look at her now, deciding to fix his gaze into the stars. “Five years is a long time.”

She didn’t say anything in response, and while he wasn’t looking at her, he could feel her gaze burning through him. “You’ve changed a lot.”

He was slightly taken aback from the statement and couldn’t help but let out a breathless laugh. “Well, when you become Duke of an entire country, it does a lot for you.” He felt the feathery touch of her hand on top of his. He stiffened for a brief moment, almost pulling away as if scalded by boiling hot water. 

“I should’ve been there for you.”

He felt the familiar twist in his chest. He relaxed as he overlapped his other hand over hers. “You are now, Teach. You are now.” He looked up to her, giving her a soft smile. 

A light scoff left her lips as she says, “Here I am hoping to comfort you, but it always seemed to be the other way around.”

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up too much. You were sleeping for five years,” he teased with a wink.

She nudged her shoulder against his arm as she laughed. A laugh that was so light and soft it was like music to his ears. “You take a five year nap and see how it feels,” she returned.

“Ha! Was that a joke from you, Teach? Who’s been secretly teaching you the art of joke telling now?”

“Why, the one and only Master Tactician.”

Claude groaned loudly as he threw his head back at the title. “Please don’t call me that. I get enough of that from Hilda, especially when she calls me Mr. Leader Man.” He shook his head, recalling the many times Hilda, and others, would refer to him by the ridiculous titles. While he lamented in his woes, Teach laughed lightly at his misery.

“Oh the poor Leader Man,” she continued to joke.

“Hey now,” he warned playfully. When he turned his head towards her, he was met with her gaze.

She turned her head towards him at the same time. As her mint green eyes met his verdant ones, her expression on her face softened, her smile engraved on her lips still. She squeezed his hand lightly and he returned it. As her hand lingered in his, both returned their gazes to the starry sky. 

Claude felt bare on the terrace with her. As if all of his secrets were laid out despite how carefully he constructed the walls around himself, making sure no one could take a peep inside. Now that Teach, his Friend, was back, it was as if her presence was all it took to break down all those walls. He so desperately wanted to lay everything down before her. 

But not yet. They still had a war to win. He was going to make sure of that.

* * *

“Teach!” He yelled after her. 

The moment she caught sight of him, she went running. Oh no she doesn’t. He began sprinting towards her down the sea of tents that were set up around camp. As he gained up on her, she picked up the pace. 

Claude managed to evade the lingering soldiers who turned their heads to the two figureheads as Teach swiftly glided through the small crowd, undoubtedly hoping to lose him at some point. He kept his eyes on her at all times, picking up his own pace. “Byleth!” he finally yelled her name.

The name of her being suddenly called slowed her down, allowing him enough time to catch up and grab her wrist. He kept a firm grasp around it, unwilling to let her go lest she should escape his sight again like so many times before. “We need to talk,” he said to her sternly. 

She looked like a deer caught in a trap. He hadnever seen her so frazzled before as she desperately looked around before looking down towards the ground. 

He took this moment to glance around, realizing they were garnering attention from their soldiers. He sighed and spoke in a quieter voice, “Let’s go somewhere private.”

Teach resigned to her fate as she nodded her head quietly. 

He maintained his grasp on her wrist as he began to pull her alongside him, going towards the large tent that would hold their war council meetings. Once they were in the confines and away from prying eyes, he turned towards her with anger in his eyes. “What were you thinking out there?”

She remained silent, refusing to meet his gaze. “I don’t know what you mean,” she claimed.

Don’t know what he means-- “Bullshit!” he hissed. He released her wrist as he shouted, “You could’ve died out there!”

Her body flinched at his raised voice. He had never once yelled at her before, not like this. “Claude, I--”

“Why did you break formation? You knew better than to run in all by yourself like that, and if I didn’t fly in there in time, and Lysithea wasn’t there, you could’ve--”

“You died, Claude!” 

Silence rang in the air. 

He stared at her in disbelief. “Wh… what?”

“You died, Claude…” she said again, much quieter and barely above a whisper, as if her voice would break if she spoke any louder than she did. 

He became quiet, processing the words she just said to him.

Seeing the chance to speak, she continued, “There was a hidden archer in the forest and Dimitri was raving through the battlefield like a madman. I…” As she spoke, her voice slowly gained volume, but began to break as she continued her tale, “If I didn’t come back to you, you would have been shot down and there was no one who would’ve gotten there in time. I had to Claude.”

So many questions filled his head and he wanted answers, but as he looked at the woman before him, he saw a sight that he swore that he would never let happen again. His teacher, his friend, was crying. Tears streamed down her cheeks, a look of desperation and pain that he had seen before five years ago after the death of her father. That was a look of watching someone she cherished dearly die. “I…” 

“I know we had a chance, but we couldn’t lose you.” She gripped his arm tightly. “ _I_ couldn’t lose you Claude. And I would be damned to ever let it happen!” 

She spoke with pained determination and he saw in her fierce, teary mint green eyes that she would have gone through the flames of Ailell and back to make sure she brought him back alive. 

He was rendered speechless. Slowly, he placed his hand over hers, anger and worry simmering down. “I’m…. I’m sorry.” 

She shook her head. “No, I am. I…” she sniffled, wiping her tears on the back of her vambrace. “I just couldn’t lose you too, Claude.”

 _Too._ He was a fool. 

Claude pulled her into a tight hug, holding her head to his shoulder. She let out a sudden gasp from the sudden action, confused by it. He knows they were both dirtied and caked with blood and mud, and desperately needed healing. But, after what happened, the fear that he would lose _her_ like he did five years ago, was something he could never do again. 

“And I can’t lose you either, Byleth,” he whispered to her as he closed his eyes, nestling his face against the crown of her head. “Not again.”

She said nothing in response. Instead, she slowly wrapped her arms around his middle, returning his embrace. 

No other words were exchanged. They remained in the other’s arms, assuring themselves that the other was here. 

They were safe. 

They were alive. 

They were here. That’s all they needed.

* * *

“Byleth?” He found her at the bridge. 

She looked up, looking tired than she ever did before after their talk with Rhea. “Hey…” she greeted.

“Hey…” he returned as he walked up to her, taking a spot beside her. 

He followed their gaze across the bridge, watching the sun begin to set and dusk beginning to settle. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

She laughed, one filled with bitterness and scorn. “Well, I found out that the only reason I’m alive is because my mom gave up her life for me. The only reason I exist was to be a vessel for a goddess that had no desire to come back.

All the things that happened, the missions, the attack on the monastery, the relics, my dad dying-- all so she could bring back someone.” 

He remained quiet as she listened to her inhale deeply. “I’m doing great. How about you?” 

“Could be better,” he admitted. 

She nodded. “Right…” She looked down towards the bottomless canyon below them, hands clenched together. “Am I even worth being alive…?” 

Claude was shocked at those words. “Of course you are,” he immediately answered, his expression stern and seriously. “Byleth, there is nothing in the world that could replace you, or anything that could define you.”

She lifted her head, a pain expression on her face as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. “But what if I wasn’t Claude? Then everything that happened--”

He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to turn towards him. “Byleth, everything that happened wasn’t your fault. There was no way you could have known any of this. What Rhea did was wrong, but what she did is no way reflected on you.”

“Claude…”

“Byleth…” he gently cupped her cheek with his hand, and leaned down to press his forehead against hers. “None of us would be here without you. _I_ wouldn’t be here.” He took in a breath and closed his eyes. “So please,” he whispered. “Don’t ever say something like that about yourself again.”

He feels the cool touch of her fingers over his, feeling the weight of her forehead against his now. “Okay,” she whispered. “Okay.”

“Okay…” he repeats after her. They stayed like that on top of the bridge, even as the sun disappeared and the moon replaced it in the sky, the sparkling lights coming to life. “We’re going to win Byleth. I know we can.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” she declared.

He smiled and chuckled softly. He opened his eyes to see her soft gaze. “I know you won’t. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I know you won’t,” she parrots back his earlier words.

They share a smile with each other, a soft chuckle coming from both. 

He knew he could trust his life in her hands, just as she trusted her life in his. 

As the cold air began to settle in, he realized the precarious situation they were in now and how it can easily be misconstrued. He cleared his throat and pulled away. “Come on, we should get some sleep now Teach.”

“Ri-right,” she agreed as she cleared her own throat. “After all… we don’t have much time before Nemesis.” Her expression darkened as she remembered their current situation right now.

Some semblance of seriousness returned to him as he nodded in agreement. He took her hand in his as he said, “Don’t worry. With you on our side, you’ll put him back in the ground where he belongs.” He gives her a grin and a wink.

She smiled, assured from his words. “When you say like that, I guess I can’t disappoint everyone now.”

“You could never.” 

Soon enough, they walked hand-in-hand down the bridge and he escorted her back to her quarters. Once they reached her room, they reluctantly parted ways. “Goodnight,” she quietly bid before turning her back to him and walked to her room, closing the door behind her. He stayed there, letting out a quiet breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

So close. He reached up into his pocket, fingers finding way around a silver band that he longed to take out to her.

So close. But not yet. 

Just one more battle, he told himself.

Just one more battle.

* * *

“I have a question?” 

“Hm?”

The two laid together in the soft grass, out in the grassy hills and far from the Almyran palace. “What is it, My Star?” he asked. 

He feels her shift her position, turning onto her side as she propped her head arm up to rest her head on her hand to look up at him, instead of the beautiful stars laid across the sky. “When did you finally decide to trust me?”

That was a question he didn’t expect. “Oh come on, give me some credit. I always trusted you!” he claimed as he looked to her, giving her the poutiest pout he could manage. 

She raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing his bold-faced claim.

“Oh, my beloved, how you wound me,” he moaned, dragging the back of his hand against his forehead. “My own wife doesn’t believe me. If she doesn’t, who will?” he asked theatrically. He let out a small ‘oomph’ sound as his Beloved Star hit her hand onto his chest. 

“Claude, come on, I’m serious. Won’t you tell me?” she asked, fluttering her eyes at him and giving him a look he knows he can’t resist when she asks for something.

He groaned. “How come it doesn’t work when I do it?” He turned onto his side and propped up his own arm to rest his hand on his hand as he looked at her. “Do you really want to know?”

She gave him a grin and nodded her head.

He sighed and looked away slightly, warmth rising to his cheeks a blush dusted cross his face. “Remember the first time we had tea together?”

It took a moment but she nodded her head again. “Yes, I do.”

“And remember that conversation we had? It was about the tea you brought.”

A smile stretched across her lips as she remembered the memory fondly. “I do. The Almyran Pine Needle. I think I should’ve seen it further with the way you reacted when I brought it to you.”

He let out a small laugh. “I suppose so. But… well… remember what you said though?”

It was her turn to blush as she remembered her words. At the time, it was only meant as an innocent comparison and observation on her part, but now it was rather embarrassing and it was like she was a schoolgirl trying to confess to her crush. “Ah, you still remember that?” she asked. She turned away, attempting to hide her face from him.

Claude could only grin. He pulled her to him and she yelped. He laughed as he turned onto his back again, arms firmly wrapped around his one and only queen and held close to his chest.

She whined and complained, but made no move to free herself from his embrace. In fact, she wholly accepted her fate and settled on top of his chest, carefully resting her head right where his heart rested and beat fast. “Go on, what about the tea?” 

Looking back up to the sky with his wife in his arms, he thought back to the fond memories of the first tea party they had together. “I think that’s when I first decided to trust you. When you said I felt like ‘home’ to you?”

He couldn’t see the wide-eyed expression of surprise she had on her face as she looked up at him. “Really?” she said, incredulity heard in her voice. 

“Really,” he affirmed. “Sure it wasn’t complete trust, but at that time… I really felt like you were the first person I could trust in a long time. No strings attached.”

“I see…” she murmured. 

They laid comfortably together in silence on the grass. He feels the faint touch of her fingers trailing across his chest. Before long, he feels her move on top of his chest, soon hovering over him. He looked up at her and swore he could see the goddess herself. 

In fact, he doubted any gods or goddesses in the heavenly realm could compare to her. The way she looked at him with so much love and devotion to a man like him could exist. The way her hair glitter and sparkle like the stars he adored in the sky. The way her soft skin glowed in the night like the moon that shined above them. He didn’t believe in gods or goddesses. No. He believed in her. And that was enough. 

“I love you, Khalid,” she whispered to him.

He raised his hand up to cup her cheek, brushing his thumb across. “And I love you, my Beloved Star.” She leaned down as he pulled her in, lips pressed together with all the love and passion they held for one another.

It became one chaste kiss of innocence. 

And then another of adoration. 

Once more for love. 

And many more and then some, for all the moments between them.


End file.
